एन

Alternative scripts

Etymology

Uncertain. Most likely formed within Indo-Aryan, as there are no Indo-Iranian cognates.^[1] The traditional derivation^[2] from Proto-Indo-European *óynos, i.e. from indefinite numeral one to definite, anaphoric he, is semantically unlikely.

More probable is a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *éy, just like अयम् (ayám), एष (eṣá)/एतद् (etát), and the distal deictic particle *énοs, which is also contained in pronouns in other languages, like Hittite [script needed] (anniš, “that”), Ancient Greek ἐκεῖνος (ekeînos, “that”), Icelandic hann (“he”), and English yon.^[3]

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /ɐj.nɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈeː.n̪ɐ/

Pronoun

एन • (ena)

1. third-person pronominal base meaning this; that; he; she; it (only found enclitically in a limited number of cases and numbers)